1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical connector which optically connects an optical fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, there are optical connectors having a joint system which is a combination of a slider and a latch such as an SC connector (JIS C 5973) and an MPO connector (JIS C 5982), and the one having the modular jack method as disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2000-147323. Both systems of optical connectors are mainly used for connecting points of an optical fiber which needs to undergo frequent connecting and disconnecting in equipments or between equipments at indoor.
On the other hand, for connection at outdoor, the mechanical splice or fusion splice is mainly used, but optical connectors as described above are rarely used.
As the rapid spread of Internet usage in homes in recent years, urgency of an optical connector that allows easier connecting operation at a relay point of an optical fiber extended from a central office to a customer site heightens. One of disadvantageous factor of using an optical connector is the size of its structure.
Typically, an optical connector is comprised of a pair of optical connector plugs within which is arranged an optical fiber, and an adapter for connecting these. The function for connecting an optical connector plug to an adapter connector plug includes some latch springs of an adapter in the SC connector and a cantilever style latch of the optical connector plug in the modular jack method. In the case of both optical connectors, latch members have enough thickness to hold the connection, and an appropriate clearance, such as a latch which does not cause interference, is provided between the latch and the slider (or the adapter in the case of modular jack system) in order to remove the optical connector plug smoothly from the adapter.
However, in order to reduce the size of the optical connector, structural extra clearance and any unnecessary thickness of the latch should be avoided. On the other hand, reducing the thickness of the latch has some cause for concerns. In particular, it might cause decrease of the engagement force. Otherwise, when releasing the latch, an engaging projection formed on the latch might not be detached from the adapter because of excessive bending of the latch arm.